Trading Yesterday
by CoLtOnCaVaNaUgH
Summary: GenderSwap! Emery Swan's life is turned upside down. He then meets a fiery brunette who could be the one to right his crazy world.
1. Chapter 1

She never really understood the loneliness in her heart. Regina Mills was definitely a woman who, though she had everything, she had a great job as the mayor of a small New England town; she had a wonderful little boy that she adored and who at the age of three was so smart was still lonely. Yet here she was on a Friday night in her study with a glass of red wine and a book while everyone that she knew was probably down at the Rabbit Hole having drinks and enjoying the company of friends. While she was the mayor and a damn good one at that she didn't really have what most would call friends. Now she did have acquaintances like Belle French from the library and Kathryn Nolan the prosecutor in her small town. Yet she'd be hard pressed to call them her friends. She tried to stay out of others' business so they would do her the same courtesy. She had her world in Henry and that was all she needed, at least that is what she had convinced herself of for the past three years ever since he was born. He was her everything especially since his father had up and left two weeks after Regina told him she was pregnant. She knew then that she should have listened to her mother when she told Regina that Daniel was not and never would be good enough for her. It took her a while after he left for her heart to harden and for her to close herself off. Now she wanted nothing to do with men and was anxious for the day when she wouldn't be enough for Henry and he would need a father figure in his life. She was a strong independent woman but she knew that Henry would grow up and need more in his life. She knew however that she had more time, her little prince was only three and not so inquisitive about his parental situation he had Regina, and her parents so right now that was all that mattered. All of that knowledge though didn't do much to quell the loneliness in her heart and neither did the wine that she was drinking. So she stopped put down her book and went to find her son. She had hoped that playing with her father for most of the day had worn Henry out but when her mother had dropped him off that afternoon he was still bouncing off the walls. So now when she walked into the playroom she knew that it would be like a war zone and she was not surprised. However, she was a tad surprised when she looked in the middle of the rubble and there was her son curled up with his stuffed wolf fast asleep, thumb in mouth, and rear end high up in the air. This was she knew that he was exhausted he only slept like that when he had played hard and fast. She picked him up and took him to his room where she changed him and put him to bed. After all of that was done and she had straightened up the playroom the loneliness still felt like cold steel in her heart. Convinced that the night was not going to get better she went to bed hoping that in the morning the loneliness would be abated with the constant moving and plans that her weekend consisted of. She had no idea as she lay down that her world was about to be turned upside down.

Five a.m. was early for the birds and Emery was not excited to be on this side of the sunrise. He knew that he promised his sister that he would come out from Boston to get away from the pain of break up, but damn five a.m. was ridiculous. Then again anything was better than being in an empty apartment that held more memories than he wished. He still felt blindsided that his girlfriend of two years was sleeping with his boss. And he called himself a detective. He was a detective and a damn good one at that but she was just better at hiding than he was at detecting. Plus he guessed that when you love someone you become blind to their shortcomings and this was a big one he thought. That was one of the main reasons that he agreed to come to this small fishing town in the first place. That and he hadn't seen his sister since Christmas last month and she had a new beau that she wanted her little brother to approve of desperately. She was always pestering him to come for a visit because she always went to Boston for holidays and now he had the perfect excuse. He still hadn't figured out how to tell her that because he had found his ex with his superior officer that he had in fact quit his job. So now he had all of his possessions in two suitcases in the trunk. Now he just needed to get his head on straight before he made whatever step was next. He hoped that this was the place for him to do that and maybe he could even write a song or two while he was in Storybrooke, Maine. His sister had described this town as small, quaint, and friendly. He couldn't help but think that it was a made up town. He didn't know of anyplace that was as perfect as his sister thought her town was. Yet, she was in love and the bubble can always make a person bias. It was about seven when he pulled his black 1964 mustang into the sleepy town that would be his home for the next 3 weeks. He decided that he needed coffee desperately and lucky enough for him there was a small diner right on the way to his sisters' apartment he parked his car and got out and stretched his 6'5" frame. The car was his baby that he had bought his first year on the force and fixed up to its original glory but it was not a car for extended travel. He headed toward the door and was about to turn the corner when a woman and a little boy slammed into him. That wouldn't have been a problem except the woman had been holding a steaming cup of hot chocolate that was now soaking through his shirt.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh my God. I'm so sorry." Exclaimed the brunette woman.

"It's ok. I should have been paying attention. Are you ok?"

"Am I ok? I'm not the one being burned by chocolate? I'm fine. But I ruined your shirt." She looked at him truly concerned.

"That's cool I have a suitcase full of them in my trunk." he said as he headed back to his car.

"Oh are you staying in Storybrooke?" she asked as she followed Emery with her little boy silently running beside her.

"Yes. My sister lives here and I'm visiting for a bit."

"Who's your sister?"

"Are you always this inquisitive?"

"Sorry. My name is Regina. I'm the mayor. I feel I should know everyone." She nervously laughed.

"It's ok. My name is Emery. Emery Swan. My sister is Mary Margaret." he held his hand out and before she could take it the little boy beside her grabbed his hand and introduced himself.

"I'm Henry." Emery shocked at the little boy's good manners took his hand and shook it.

"Hello Henry. How are you?" he knelt down to his level and saw that he had a milk mustache and his mother's nose.

"I good. I three. I'm momma's big boy." He smiled that smile that little boys do when they have pride in what they say.

"Well she is a very lucky woman." Emery stood back up and looked at Henry's mother who was beaming.

"Thank you Mr. Swan. Well we should let you change and get to where you are going. Come on Henry we have riding lessons." As she turned to walk away from Emery he had the overwhelming urge to keep talking to her.

"Um.." she turned around to face him with an intrigued look on her face.

"Do you think maybe if you aren't busy later you could show me around? I love my sister and all but she isn't the best tour guide. Her main points during any tour are the school and the animal shelter. I was hoping there would be more than that in this town." He chuckled.

"Sure I can do that. How about you meet me here at around four. I have riding lessons with Henry then we were going to Bangor for lunch." As she spoke Regina wasn't sure what it was about this man that made her want to talk to him and reveal so much. Maybe it was that he took the time to interact with Henry or maybe it was that was extremely attractive at 6'5" with shoulder length dirty blonde hair and emerald green eyes that she could get lost in for days.

"Awesome. I'll be here." He flashed a pearly white smile at her and turned to dig around in his trunk for a new chocolate free shirt.

He grabbed a new shirt, locked up his car and headed into the diner. Just as he expected in a small town as soon as the door closed everyone in the diner turned and looked the newcomer. He chuckled, walked over to the counter where there was a scantily clad woman in her early 20s; he ordered a coffee and bacon biscuit and asked for directions to the restroom. The woman behind the counter, who introduced herself as Ruby, pointed to the back of the diner. Emery smiled and went to change. He came back to a large cup of black coffee and a plate piled with bacon and biscuits. When he set down and looked over at Ruby she shot him a flirtatious wink. He did the only thing he could do in that situation and that was smile politely and dug into the plate of food. He decided that this stay was going to be interesting. After he had put away three cups of coffee and a plate and a half of bacon and biscuits he got back in the car and drove to his sister's apartment. When he knocked on the door it was answered by a man who was about three inches shorter than him had a sleepy expression on his face.

"Hi?" said the sleepy man.

"Hey man. I'm Emery. Mary Margaret's little brother."

"Little brother?" he said as he shook his hand and chuckled.

"Yea. She got the short stick literally."

"I can hear you. Come on and close the door." Shouted his sister from the kitchen.

It was obvious very soon why the man who answered the door chuckled when Emery said he was the little brother. Mary Margaret was 32 and Emery was only 27 but even though she had five years on him, he had about a foot and a few inches on her. The differences didn't stop there; whereas he was blonde with green eyes she had jet-black hair and dark eyes. He had gotten his height from their father and everything about him screamed their father while her looks and disposition was their mother through and through.

"Hey M&M." he grinned as she came around the counter and jumped into his arms.

"Hey munchkin."

"Munchkin?" said the sleepy man.

"Yea. It was apparent when he was about 10 that he was going to surpass me in the height department. So I started calling him munchkin." She explained.

"Awe. Well little brother my name is David. David Nolan." he held out his hand for Emery to shake. Emery had to admit that David had a good grip and when his sister looked at the man she beamed. So far he liked this David guy.

"So how are things in Boston?" Mary Margaret asked as she walked back behind the kitchen counter.

"Well let's see. I quit so there is always that." Emery stated sheepishly while he stared holes into the floor.

"You what?! Emery all you ever wanted to be was a police officer ever since you were young and your dad... How could you…" then she got silent as if she now understood everything just by looking at him.

"Yea. I couldn't go into work every day knowing that the woman that I had planned to spend the rest of my life with was banging my boss."

"Man that is tough. Don't be too hard on him babe."

"So what are your plans then?" she asked.

"I figured I would crash on your couch at least until I could figure out that next step."

"You know that you are always welcome to stay here as long as you want. Maybe you could even help David out."

"I don't want to impose. M&M don't pawn me off on this guy he may go screaming for the hills. Besides I want to take some time and clear my head maybe write a few songs."

"You sing?" David asked. Honestly Emery had forgotten he was even there.

"Yes. Well kinda, I play guitar and write songs. There are a few occasions, drunken ones, where I've been known to get up and sing."

"That's cool. Mary Margaret we should make him come out to The Rabbit Hole one Friday night." David exclaimed like a kid in a candy store.

"What's The Rabbit Hole and what's Friday nights?" he had sinking feeling that he was not going to like the answer.

"The Rabbit Hole is a bar and Friday nights are karaoke and open stage of sorts." Explained David.

"I know that you mean well but I don't think I'm going to get up on stage anytime soon."

"Well I tried." Chuckled David.

"So I was thinking after breakfast we could tour the town and maybe we could stop by the animal shelter."

"Um yea about that I was going to meet the Mayor at the diner later and she was going to give me the tour." He stated as his sister spluttered out her coffee.

"Regina? Regina Mills is going to give you a tour. How did you manage that?" he could tell his sister was getting revved up for her rapid-fire questions that she was always known for.

"Slow down there M you don't want to let David in on your craziness just yet."

"Dude I'm already in." David said into his coffee.

"Regina isn't one to open up to complete strangers." She replied smacking David with a dishtowel.

"I think she felt bad for trying to scald me with chocolate. Plus no one can resist the Swan charm." He said as he flashed his sister his signature grin.

"I doubt that little brother. Just tread lightly. She isn't a woman of second chances."

"She can't be that bad sis. She seamed really nice."

"Just be careful."

Regina wasn't sure where the pep in her step came from that day maybe it was the great nights sleep or maybe it was because Henry was exceling at riding and looked very confident. Or maybe she thought it was the attractive man that she ran into, literally, this morning. She didn't dwell on that thought; she didn't need any man other than her father and Henry in her life. Plus he wasn't going to be in town for very long. She was headed to her parents for lunch and she couldn't help but admit that she was feeling better than she had been in a while.

"Mommy. Mommy." Henry startled her out of her revelry.

"Yes baby?"

"Can we listen to music?" he loved music just as much as he loved riding and his stuffed wolf.

"Yes sir we can." She said as she turned on the CD player that currently held Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits.

"Who this?"

"Who is this?" Corrected Regina. "It's Frank Sinatra."

"I like Simater." He tried but butchered his name.

"Sin-a-tra. He's my favorite. When you were a baby I always sang him to you when you fussy and wouldn't sleep." She knew that Henry loved to hear stories about when he was a baby and so she always found a way to tell him little bits of the early days.

"I miss you sing mommy. Will you sing to me?"

"Some day, when I'm awfully low When the world is cold I will feel a glow just thinking of you And the way you look tonight Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm And your cheeks so soft There is nothing for me but to love you And the way you look tonight"

She had forgotten what it was like to sing to Henry. She had also forgotten how much she loved to sing. Things had gotten a little hectic lately and all the things that she had done when Henry was a baby, like singing him to sleep, or singing in general, had gone to the wayside. She would have to fix that. She finally pulled into her parents drive way as Blue Eyes was finish The Way You Look Tonight with the accompaniment of Henry Mills.

"Momma you think Poppa would let me play leggos?" Henry asked as he unbuckled his car seat.

"I don't know buddy but you can ask him." Answered Regina as she got out to help her son out of the car.

"Poppa!" Henry yelled as he ran to his grandparents' front door. About the time Henry made it to the front door it was being opened. Henry flew into the arms of his waiting grandmother who smothered him in kisses.

"Nan stop. You get lipstick on me." He exclaimed as he wiped his face.

"Well I'm sorry but I've just missed you so much." Stated his grandmother and she passed Henry to his grandfather.

"Nan you saw me yesterday." Henry said matter of factly.

"Come on Cora give the boy a break." Said her husband, Big Henry, as he received a bear hug from the little boy.

"There's my beautiful girl." Cora said as she extended her arms to hug her daughter.

"Hey Ma. Hey Daddy." She kissed her father on the cheek.

"What's different?" question her mother as she held Regina at arms length.

"Nothing Ma. I just slept really well last night."

"Mommy spilled my hot chocolate on a man today." Henry said off the cuff.

"A man?" her mother and father questioned.

"He's just visiting his sister for a while and I ran into him a the diner. Neither of us were paying attention. Do you think we could take this in the house I'm famished." Regina ducked into the house.

Cora and Henry just looked at each other and followed their daughter into the house.

Regina didn't get far into the kitchen when her mother bombarded her probing questions.

"So what is going on Regina?"

"Nothing Ma, can't I just be in a good mood?" Regina hadn't really thought that there was a major change in her behavior since she last saw her mother a day ago.

"Yes. But there is something different. There is a twinkle. Could it be something about the man that Henry mentioned?" her mother hinted at not so subtly.

"There is nothing going on with him. I wasn't paying attention I ran into him with hot chocolate. He's a handsome man I won't lie but that is as far as it goes."

"So that's it?"

"That's it."

"Why don't you guys stay for dinner tonight I was planning on making lasagna?" Cora said as she busied herself making lunch.

"I can't. Henry can if you would like but I have plans." Regina stated and as soon as she said it she knew her mothers' imagination was going to run wild.

"Plans?"

"Yes I offered to give Emery a tour of Storybrooke."

"Emery? Is that the young man from this morning?"

"Yes Ma that is the man from this morning. Like I said he is in town visiting his sister and he said that she wasn't a very good tour guide so he asked me. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal. Sweetie you haven't even looked twice at a man since Daniel left."

"Ma shh I don't want Henry to hear."

"Oh hush. He is in the play room with your father. Regina I'm not saying jump into bed with this man but don't close yourself off either."

"Ma he is just visiting. He may have a girlfriend or a wife or even a boyfriend wherever it is that he came from."

"I just want you to be happy. And if that boy is the one putting sparkle back in your eyes then I want that for you." Cora explained as she pulled her daughter into a hug.

"I know Ma. I want to be happy and right now the only man I need in my life is my son. Enough of this let's eat I'm hungry and I'm sure after his lesson Henry is starving as well."

"Ok but this isn't over I want to know how your evening goes. I'll go get the boys and tell them lunch is ready." With that Cora walked out of the kitchen saying a silent prayer to whoever was listening that even if this new man wasn't The One that he at least opens her daughter's heart to the possibilities of loving again.


	3. Author's Note

Author's Note

Hey guys so this is the disclaimer that I forgot to put in earlier. I do NOT OWN OUAT or any of the characters in the story. The only thing I'm responsible for is making Emma Swan a man so that we can all explore the relationship that should be shown on the show.

So this is a non-curse alternate universe where Regina and Emery meet and it goes from there. I have clear direction in my head as to where this is going but would still appreciate any comments and concerns that you the reader would have. I will try my best to convey these two people as real and complicated like we all know they are.

I will also try my hardest to post every Monday.

So please read, comment, relax and enjoy the following roller coaster adventure that is Swan Queen.

Colton Cavanaugh


	4. Chapter 4

The day dragged on for Emery. He looked at his watch every 15 minutes or so. A behavior that wasn't lost on his sister. She kept her mouth shut however, because she knew her brother but she also knew Regina Mills. The woman was a powerhouse of intelligence and beauty, and the youngest mayor in the history of the little town, a fact that wasn't lost on any of the towns' inhabitants. Her brother was just out of a serious relationship and she figured that he was on the rebound looking for someone to hook up with and she also knew that Regina Mills wasn't a woman to just hook up with. Mary Margaret had a feeling that Regina was a woman with long term on her mind. So she just let her brother sit there at the kitchen counter bouncing his leg and checking his watch like it was a lifeline.

"Would you like something to eat?" She said making Emery jump off the stool.

"No thanks M. Where did David go?" his sister's boyfriend had left about thirty minutes earlier and had yet to return.

"He went to work. He told you bye." She giggled.

"Oh, guess I wasn't paying attention."

"You think?" she stated under her breathe.

"So what does lover boy do when he isn't swooning over a particular school teacher?" Emery questioned as he grabbed an apple off the counter.

"He runs the animal shelter. He got divorced about a year ago and needed something to occupy his time. So he started to volunteer at the animal shelter and when the elderly man that ran it died he took over."

"Wait he's divorced?"

"Yes. But it was amicable and there were no children involved."

"Do you know why they got divorced?"

"Not that it's any of your business but they just fell out of love. They were different people than when they got married."

"It is my business you're my sister. Weren't you just giving me relationship advice earlier on my non-existent relationship with Regina?"

"That's different. You're the little brother I'm supposed to watch out for you, Plus Regina Mills isn't a one and done type of woman."

"Wow. Ok. So I'm going to forget that you just assumed that I am trying to just nail this woman who I just met and don't even know. You're right it is none of my business you're just my sister so I have to look out for you regardless your age. But just so we are clear it's none of yours if I want to hook up or date anyone in this town." He asserted as he got up to leave.

"Wait, stop. I'm sorry. You're right. I just have had to defend this relationship to most people since we started this thing. I just want what's best for you."

"And I want the same for you. If you say that the split was friendly and that there are no hard feelings then I believe you and if you are happy with him then you don't have to defend anything to me. All I want is to forget about the past few weeks and the topsy turvy feeling in my gut and the cold steel in my heart." He sobbed the last part as his sister came across the room to hold him as he cried.

"Sshh everything is going to be ok. You are going to be ok. You are a strong man Emery the strongest I have ever known. If she couldn't see that then that is her problem not yours. She is the one in the wrong Emery not you." She said as she held her 6'5" brother as best as she could.

"You tell no one about this." He said as he straightened up and wiped his face with his shirt.

"Never." She giggled.

"I have a rep to protect." He chuckled

"What time are you supposed to meet Regina?"

"Um…Four." he answered as he looked at his watch for the thousandth time.

"Ok well David doesn't get off till six. Do you want to go get lunch at the diner? I know you said you weren't hungry…"

"No that's fine let's go." He interrupted.

As he got his stuff together and his sister grabbed her purse and sweater he couldn't help but think that maybe she was right and that maybe just maybe everything would be ok.

The diner was still packed with people mostly the same ones that were there earlier that morning. He figured a lot of these people were set in their ways, plus as far as he could tell from the short walk from his sister's apartment that this was one of the only diners in the town. When they walked in together everyone greeted his sister and she in turn introduced everyone to her little brother. When they finally got seated in a booth he could feel the stares coming from across the diner. It was none other than Ruby the waitress he had met this morning except now he got the distinct impression that she was mentally undressing him. She smiled at him and walked over to take their order.

"Nice to see you again." Ruby purred.

"You too." Said Emery as he studied the sparse menu.

"You two know each other?" questioned his sister suspiciously.

"She waited on me this morning when I came into town."

"Oh. Well I would like a Cobb salad and a sweet tea." Said Mary Margaret.

"I would like a double cheeseburger with bacon no tomato and a water with lime."

"Sure be right out." Ruby sauntered back to the kitchen to put in their orders.

"No." Mary Margaret stated plainly.

"No, what?"

"She is off limits. She's my best friend but once she gets her hooks into you she will drive you crazy. She is a special brand of crazy."

"Yea I got that vibe this morning. I can feel her undressing me with her eyes."

"You're fresh meat Emery. She wants the challenge."

"What challenge I don't want to hook up with her or date her." He whispered when Ruby came to the table with their drinks.

"That's the challenge." Explained Mary Margaret.

"Frankly I don't want to hook up or date anyone for a while. I just want to relax, write, and decompress."

"That's what I want for you. Plus I want to hear another Emery Swan original. You're songs are amazing Emery. You haven't written anything since…"

"Yea not since mom died. I try but nothing sounds right anymore. Plus with work, you wouldn't believe the crime rate in Boston. I was kept busy with my case load. Maybe that's why…"

"Don't you dare finish that thought. You are not to blame little brother. You are a great man. She was a slut." Mary Margaret said flatly.

"Tell me how you really feel." Emery chuckled.

"I liked her but I always felt that there was something shifty about Sara from the get go."

"You never said anything. Did everybody see it and just fail to tell me?" Emery questioned as his voice rose slightly.

"Would it have mattered if we did? Would you have listened?"

Emery sat there for a minute and thought. He thought of the past two years and all of the red flags that he just ignored. Would it have mattered if his sister told him she didn't like Sara? Would he have ended it then?

"Honestly…no. I don't think it would have mattered or stopped me from being with her. That's the shitty part. Even after everything that she put my through these past couple of years I still would have stuck by her. Guess I'm a glutton for punishment."

"You were in love. Remember what mom always said about the love bubble. That you and her are the only ones that exist. I want things for you Em. Things that I'm sure you'll find in time. Take that time, relax, enjoy yourself, write, do what you need to get back to you." Mary Margaret said as she took his hands in hers and tried to convey everything she felt in that one little gesture.

"Here's your food." Interrupted Ruby.

"Thanks." They both said as they separated.

"Oh and Emery. Here's my number call me sometime and I'll be sure to show you around Storybrooke and have a good time."

"Uh thanks. I'm supposed to meet Regina here in a little bit to do the same thing. The tour part." Emery stuttered.

"Regina Mills?"

"Yea." Why was it so hard to believe that Regina was doing something nice? It was definitely something that he was going to try and bring up when he saw her.

"Well keep my number if you get bored and want a real tour." She winked and walked away with a little extra sway in her hips.

"Oh boy." He sighed as he tucked into his burger, while his sister silently ate her salad with a smirk.

Regina had helped her mom clean the kitchen and decided that she should head back to Storybrooke if she was going to make it there by 4. There was a feeling in her stomach that she couldn't quite place, she dismissed it and went to find her son.

"Henry." She yelled as she walked down the hall to the playroom her parents had set up for Henry.

"Yea mommy?" he answered as he came barreling out his playroom.

"I'm about to head back home but I'm meeting someone when I get there. Do you want to come with me and let me take you to stay with Miss Belle or do you want to stay here with Nan and Grampa?" she asked but she was certain that she already knew the answer.

"Can I stay the night?" he questioned.

"You need to ask Nan." Regina knew that it wouldn't be a problem but she wanted to teach her son respect and manners even at his young age.

"Nan?" he yelled as he skipped off to find his grandmother.

"In here my little prince." Cora answered from the living room."

"Nan can I spend the night?" he asked then got down on both knees and put his hands together a mockingly begged and pouted.

"Well I guess if you're going to pout like that." She chuckled.

"Thank you thank you thank you." Henry squealed as he gave his grandmother a hug and ran toward the front door to get his bag out of his mother's car.

"Hold on little man." Regina said as she hurried off to help him get his things.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey M, I should get going I have to meet Regina." Emery told his sister from his perch on the stairs while she toiled in the kitchen.

"Oh ok. Is it 4 already?" she questioned as she put the finishing touches on whatever it was that she was making. He hadn't really been paying attention.

That was the weird thing about this woman. Emery just met her and didn't really even know a thing about her but he wanted to know more. He wanted to know everything. He just chalked it up to new adventures and new places.

"Will you be home for dinner?"

"I don't know. Don't hold it for me. If David comes home and you guys want to eat go ahead." He grabbed his coat, gave his sister a kiss on the top of her head and headed out the door.

When Regina got to the diner 15 minutes early she sat in her car and wondered what she was feeling. She didn't know this man from Adam. All she knew was his name and that he was visiting, she didn't even know who it was that he was there to see. She also had no idea what possessed her to offer to give this stranger a tour of her small town. Even though she was content in her life when she saw Emery walking up to the diner she felt a thrill that this might just be a new adventure for her and she was willing to ride whatever roller coaster she was about to get on.

"Hey." Emery smiled at Regina as she got out of her car.

"Hello Mr. Swan." She said as she returned the smile.

"Please it's Emery Miss Mills." Stated Emery as they turned to leave the diner parking lot.

"Ok Emery. And it's Regina." She chuckled at him.

"So Regina, what does this charming town of yours have to offer me?"

"Well, let's see. There is the library and the animal shelter." She motioned to the big building on the corner and the building across the street and laughed.

"What?" Emery asked with a big grin.

"Nothing. I just remembered how you said this morning that those were the only things your sister showed you. By the way if you don't mind my asking who is your sister?"

"Mary Margaret Blanchard." He stated.

"But, if you don't mind my curiosity, you don't have the same last name as your sister." She was very intrigued about this man.

"Well Mary is older than me and our mom and her dad got divorced and she met my dad later in life and so she took her dad's name and I took mine."

"Sorry to pry." She looked genuinely upset for prying.

"It's ok don't worry about it. It's nothing major. Mary's dad was the angel mine was the devil."

"We don't…"Regina started.

"No it's ok Regina. I'm an open book I don't believe in keeping secrets. That's always the problem. It's never the knowledge it's the secret that's the worst."

"That's a good way to live. I totally agree. So enough with the heavy," she smiled," what is it that you do for a living?"

"Well I was a homicide detective back in Boston."

"Again I feel like I'm prying. I'm sorry Emery."

"No you're not. How about this let me ask you some questions." He smiled at her and she could swear that her heart skipped a beat.

"Ok shoot." She said as she steered him to a bench in the park.

"How did you become mayor?"

"That's easy. I wanted it and no one ran against me. I have always wanted to be in charge of something and what better thing than to be in charge of a whole town? I wanted to make a difference."

"What about Henry?"

"What about him?"

"How does he fit into all of this? Does he stay with his dad?" he was curious about this woman sitting next to him and wanted to know everything she was willing to tell him.

"Henry is my world regardless of what I do for a living that won't change. Henry's father isn't in the picture anymore in fact I'm not really sure where he's at considering he left two weeks after I told him I was pregnant."

"Wow what an idiot. Any man…well let's just say you're better off without him."

"That's how I feel as well. So tell me then what happened in Boston?" she questioned.

"Well like I said I was a detective and was living with a woman who was my fiancé. However, that all changed one day when I came home early and found her in our bed with my Lieutenant. So I quit my job, packed up my stuff, and came out here to decompress and visit my sister."

"That's rough. I never understood how someone could pledge to spend the rest of their lives with someone then wake up one day and change their minds."

"Yea I didn't and don't understand it either. I just couldn't stay there and see the man who helped ruin my life. That and Mary Margaret has done nothing but bug me to come visit this town since she moved here."

"Well I'm sorry that this awful thing happened to you."

"It's cool you had something bad happen to you and here you are and here I am. Everything happens for a reason and I have to believe that. So what else is there to do in this town?" He questioned and Regina knew that she should change the subject.

"Well really nothing. There's the Rabbit Hole, and the library, and the local hangout, which you already know as Granny's Diner."

"Yea and I heard about the Rabbit Hole. This morning Mary Margaret's boyfriend said something about an Open Stage at the Rabbit Hole every Friday night." He said off the cuff.

"Is that something that interests you?" she wondered as she leaned closer to Emery.

"Yea it does. When I'm not arresting criminals and cleaning up the mean streets of Boston I write songs and on the special occasion I actually will preform the songs that I write. I love it." He said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I love to sing. I used to sing to Henry every night and it actually wasn't till today that I remember how much I loved to do it."

"You said you remembered. Do you not sing to him?"

"I did up until recently actually. I guess life just got in the way. But I have made a promise to myself and to Henry that I would start singing to him again." She shivered as she opened up to him.

"Are you cold?" Emery asked as he took off his coat and wrapped it around Regina's shoulders.

"Thank you. It's starting to get colder." She observed as the sun started to set.

"Yea it is. I can walk you back to your car if you would like." He said in a child's voice. And Regina swore that he was setting himself up for her to reject the offer.

"I would like that. Thank you." She said as she stood and started to walk back towards town. She noted the when she looked back toward Emery he was still stunned and not moving from the bench.

"Are you coming or do you plan to freeze to that bench?" she teased.

"I'm coming sorry got lost in thought." Emery couldn't believe it, was she flirting with him? They just met but he couldn't deny that there was something there he just wasn't sure what. Plus did he want to pursue something with this woman so close to the end of his last relationship. Finally as he stood up to follow Regina to her car he decided that he was willing to take this wherever she was willing to take it.

"So Madam Mayor would you mind if I bought you dinner?" he asked semi hopefully.

"Well Det. Swan how about I make you the best lasagna you've ever had."

"That sounds amazing. I have a man sized appetite though so be ready."

"It's ok I always cook for an army." She chuckled. They had reached her car and she didn't feel any hesitation in her decision as he opened her car door and made sure she got settled before he walked around to the passenger side and got in. She chuckled at the way he tried to fit his tall frame into her Mercedes and he laughed right back.

"You find this funny don't you?" he questioned with a glimmer in his eyes.

"Why yes. See before you got into my car I could see why you would make an intimidating police officer, now I find that comical."

"It's not my fault I'm all leg and you have the smallest car known to man."

"It fits me just fine Detective."

"It would, you're what 5 foot nothing?" he teased as he pushed the seat back as far as it would go.

"I'm 5'4" thank you very much." She challenged.

"Oh so sorry Madam Mayor. Ok I think I'm settled, ready when you are." He said as she pulled out of the parking lot and headed to her house.

"So tell me, Regina, what does one have to do to get you to sing?" he asked as he took it upon himself to turn on her car radio.

"Be handsome and three." She answered.

"Well I had the handsome covered but I'm a tad older than three."

"You're very modest."

"OH come one. I'm one handsome devil." He teased as he flashed her his signature smile. For the second time that day this man, this stranger who she just met, made her heart skip a beat.

"Yes well of the two of us I'm the hotter one." She shot back.

"Now who is being modest?" she was flirting of that he was sure. The drawback was they just met; she seemed like an amazing woman and she was classically beautiful, but was that the loneliness talking? And if it was the loneliness he didn't want to do anything that was going to hurt this woman. He had the sinking feeling that it was well within her to end him. He felt he needed to decide right then and there if she was worth it and if she could put him back together. It took him all of 3 seconds to come up with the answer.

"I'm nothing if not honest remember?" what was going on she thought. Was she really flirting with this man? This man who admittedly was very attractive, but she just met him. He had just come out of a long term relationship with someone he had planned to spend the rest of his life with, was she willing to pursue something and end up getting her heart broken when she found out he wasn't ready for another long term commitment? She finally decided and the answer was yes.

"Holy crap!" exclaimed Emery as they pulled up to Regina's house.

"What?" questioned Regina.

"You live here? This is a mansion not a house." He said, as he got out of the car with his mouth wide open.

"As long as I'm the Mayor it is. Come on in it's freezing." She stated matter of factly as he stood there gawking.

Emery was amazed at not only the outside of the house but when he walked inside he was even more amazed. He walked into a foyer that was lit in dim lights the followed stairs up to a main hallway and dining room to the left and living area to the right.

"Make yourself at home. I'll have dinner ready in just a few." She yelled from the kitchen as she took off his jacket and put on an apron. She was thankful that she had the forethought in the middle of the week to make lasagna and freeze it. However, she did want to make a dessert so she opted for her go to of apple pie.

"Smells heavenly." Emery startled her about ten minutes later.

"Thank you. You scared me." She breathed as she put the pie in the oven and took off her apron.

"Sorry about that. I got lonely in the living room. There are only so many times I can look through your library of classics. But I did find your liquor cabinet." He stated as a he showed her his glass halfway full of an amber liquid.

"Dinner should be ready in about 30 minutes and then we have apple pie for dessert." She said as she took his drink and sipped from it and handed it back. Then much to his surprise she winked at him turned and walked into the living room. Of one thing he was certain, this woman was going to kill him.

"So…do you normally invite strange men into your house? I mean I could be an axe murderer." Emery chuckled as he situated himself on the couch in front of the fireplace.

"I highly doubt that unless you moonlight as an axe murderer Detective. To answer your question I normally don't invite strange men into my house. There is something about you that, I know this sounds crazy, but I feel like I know you. Like…" she stopped realizing how odd she sounded, "sorry I sound crazy."

"No you don't. I feel the same way. Which is why I need to preface this night with this. Regina I'm a broken man and wherever it is that we go from here and don't get me wrong I want to go there but I want you to know that I'm not an easy man. I don't know what it is about you but I'm more than ready to get to know you and see where this adventure takes me. Because something tells me you are definitely a woman worth getting to know" Emery said as he leaned forward and looked intently across the table into Regina's molten brown eyes.

"Emery. Since we are laying it all out on the table here I feel I should tell you that I'm difficult and stubborn and broken as well. I haven't been with a man since Henry's father left and I have built up so many walls that whatever is going on between us whether it's as friends or more I'm sorry to say it won't be easy for you. Like you I'm not sure where this is going but I'm ready to follow it through if you are. I know we just met and I'm not normally this impulsive and I have Henry to think of so that makes me a little hesitant but I want to be happy. Don't I deserve that?" she had stood at some point during her outburst and he just sat there in amazement of this woman so he did the only thing he could think of.

Emery stood up and closed the space between him and fiery brunette took her in his arms and kissed her. He kissed her hard and fast at first then when she returned the kiss with as much fervor he slowed down and kissed this complicated, stunningly beautiful woman they way he thought she deserved.

When the need for air won out over their need for each other Regina was the first to pull away. She was flushed and felt like her lips and body were on fire from where his hand grabbed her. Emery grinned as she swept blond hair behind his ear and left her hand on his cheek.

"What are we doing?" she questioned him.

"What do you want us to be doing?" he smiled down at her, leaned in and kissed her again. This time chastely.

"Dinner, talking, taking things slow." She said as he pulled away and to keep away the temptation she pushed against his chest and tried to catch her breath. That was the exact moment that the oven timer decided to go off.

"Dinner is ready." Emery sighed.


	6. Chapter 6

Regina grabbed his hand and led him into the kitchen she wasn't sure where this was going but she was certain that she wasn't ready for him to not be by her side tonight. That thought alone made her flush, she wasn't sure what either of them intended after dinner but she was glad that the fates saw fit to put Emery Swan in her path that morning.

Emery wasn't sure what was going to happen but damn he was going to enjoy every minute of it. Regina opened a cabinet, grabbed two plates and handed them to Emery.

"Could you set the table please?" she asked as she went to grab the lasagna out of the oven.

"Sure can. Except where's the silverware?"

"Oh, um the drawer next to the dishwasher. The cups are in the cabinet by your head." She pointed to the cabinet in question.

"Gotcha." He said as he grabbed all of the necessities for table setting and headed for the table in the breakfast nook instead of the big dining room he saw on his self-guided tour.

He finished setting the table and pouring himself another drink then poured Regina a glass of wine right about the same time she sauntered in with a pan of what looked like molten lava topped with cheese.

"You weren't kidding about cooking for an army were you?" he chuckled as he sat down.

"I told you. I have to get the bread out of the oven as well do you mind cutting into it. Be careful it's hot." She yelled behind her as she retrieved the bread and came back over to the table.

Dinner went well much to the relief of both Emery and Regina. They got to know each other. They asked questions that had it been anyone else neither person would have answered.

"I have a question about something that you said earlier." Regina cautioned.

"Go ahead I told you I'm an open book." He said as he forked another bite of lasagna into his mouth.

"You said that Mary's dad was an angel and yours was the devil. I was just wondering what you meant by that." She asked as she focused on him. She wanted him to know that she wasn't going to judge; she hoped she was silently assuring him.

"Well my dad was the devil. He was an alcoholic, workaholic, pretty much any vice you could be addicted to he was. The thing is when I was kid he wasn't that bad."

"What happened do you think?"

"My dad was a homicide detective like myself and life every detective I know he had that one case that ate him alive. It was a case that he never solved and it was the first case that I ever solved. He didn't handle it well and he wasn't the nicest drunk on the face of the planet. He drank, they fought, and I protected my mother and Mary Margaret. Then when I was about 14 the drinking got so bad and the addictions got so intense that dad lost his job when they found out he was taking kickbacks. The next year I came home from school and found him dead in the living room." He finished, his plate and food forgotten and his drink drained.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked." She said quietly. She studied her plate and felt horrible that she dredged up all of those uncomfortable memories for this man.

"Hey don't be the man that died wasn't my dad. I remember the guy he was. So I became a police officer and then made detective and did everything I could to make my dad proud." There was a spark in his eyes now and Regina was glad that it chased away the pain.

"I think he is." She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"I told you I'm broken. If you want to run for the hills now's your chance I won't hold it against you." He studied his food afraid to meet her gaze. He didn't look up until he heard her chair scratch the floor. She made her way over to him and took his face in her hands.

"I don't make it a habit from running from what I want. I know we just met but I want to be with you. I feel like I have known you forever and if that sounds crazy and you want to run for the hills I understand." She finished with unshed tears.

He turned fully in his chair so he faced her head on, wrapped his arms around her waist and tried to find the words that would reassure her.

"I don't plan on running. I plan on seeing this through. I plan on …" he was cut off when she leaned down and pressed her lips against his. Regina was the one to deepen the kiss this time and thanks to the extreme height difference he didn't even have to stand to kiss her.

When she finally pulled away she was out of breath and she noticed that his emerald green eyes were blown with lust. He stood so abruptly that she lost her balance and he caught her and pressed her to him. He wanted nothing more than to take this woman upstairs and explore her beautiful body. It was because of this thought the once he was sure she had regained her balance he stepped away from her. The rejection she felt was immediate.

"Sorry I didn't mean to be so forward." She whispered.

"No," he realized the mistake he made, "no that's not it. You told me you wanted to take things slow. If I keep following the blood flow things will not be taken slow." He chuckled when he saw the relief on her face that was chased away almost immediately by lust and understanding.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just don't want you to think that I'm easy and…" he closed the space between them and quieted her rambling by placing a finger on her lips.

"I don't think that. I don't think that this is something you do all the time. I need you to know that yes we have both been through tough times and that I am not going to take advantage of you and I want to do this right. I want to take our time and enjoy each other and do some more of what we were doing," he leaned down and kissed her soundly," but I want you to be comfortable so whatever pace you set is the pace we will go."


	7. Chapter 7

It took her a moment but only just to realize that this man standing in front of her, that she had only just met a mere twelve hours earlier, was someone that she was thankful to have in her life.

"No one has ever said anything like that to me before." She smiled.

"What about Henry's dad? I mean didn't he treat you right?" he said hesitantly.

"Grab your drink and we can have this discussion in the living room." She stated as she walked around the table grabbed her glass of wine and waited for him to grab her hand so she could lead the way. Finally she settled in on the couch and so did he.

"Daniel wasn't the sweetest person on the face of the planet. He was nice enough, but he loved my family's money more than he loved me I think. Don't get me wrong he did love me but the prestige of being a Mills in this area was intoxicating. He sobered up quickly when he learned I was pregnant. We had been together for two years and he blamed me for getting pregnant on purpose to tie him down and ruin his career chances." She stared of into space sipping her wine. He noticed that there were unshed tears but didn't draw any attention to it since he could tell that she was trying not to look weak.

"Regina we don't have to…"

"No it's fine I don't mind. It's just not very many people care about my life story."

"Yea what is that about? Everyone that I talked to today seemed extremely surprised that you were taking me under your wing today." he said as he sipped his drink.

"Ahh let me guess you mean Ruby? She's not one of my biggest fans. Because of Daniel actually. He chose me over her but to be fairly honest I think he cheated on me with her often while we were together."

"This only furthers my conviction on the fact that the man was idiot. How can he think that anyone is more beautiful than you?" she leaned over and kissed him as a reward for his sentiment.

"You're sweet."

"I only speak the truth." He chuckled and it was in that moment that he knew he was stuck in Storybrooke for a while.

"You should go." Regina finally sighed.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" he asked genuinely concerned that he had done something to offend her.

"Nothing. You did nothing wrong dear. I just know that I want to take things slow and if you keep sitting here looking as amazing as you do and saying those sweet things I may not be able to help myself. I don't want to ruin this." She explained as she sat her wine glass down and got up and smoothed her dress.

"I understand. I just want to make sure that I haven't offended you or upset you at all tonight." He said as he too got up and followed her to the door.

"No you didn't I could sit here and talk to you all night long and that's the problem I might loose all self control." She leaned into him to hug him and ended up kissing him.

"I can understand that. I might loose it soon too." He breathed as he stepped away from the beautiful brunette.

"Good to know I have that effect on you Detective." She smirked as she raised her eyebrow.

"Um…Regina? You drove me here and I'm not sure how to get back to my sister's place." He laughed. He thought he was in the clear of temptation.

"Oh right. Um give me a second and I'll get my keys." She said and headed to get her purse.

"Are you sure? I don't want to put you out." She returned kissed him and headed toward the door.

"I'm sure the last thing I need is for you to get super lost and never see you again." She said as she headed out the door to her car.

"Really I don't want to put you out Regina you can just point…" she cut him off with her lips pressed against his.

"Just so we are clear," he said as she pulled away, "I could get used to that." He was certain that he had the goofiest grin on his face.

"So could I. And it's not a problem let me take you home please." She gazed up at him and his resolve crumbled. Yes, this woman would be the death of him.

"Fine. We'll do it your way." He followed her to her car and again folded his 6'5" frame into her impossibly small car.


	8. Chapter 8

When Regina dropped him in front of his sister's apartment he wasn't sure he wanted to get out of the car. He knew that his sister was probably pacing in front of her window and knew the second he came home. That didn't stop him from leaning over and kissing Regina for the thousandth time that night and enjoying it as much then as he did the first time.

"Here is my number," she said as she produced a sharpie out of the center console and wrote her number on his hand, "call me tomorrow and maybe we could go grab lunch." She smiled hopefully.

"Sure, what about Henry?"

"He's with my parents until supper tomorrow night. Emery, I'm not sure where this is going and I hope you don't find what I'm about to say offensive, but Henry is the most important thing in my life. I don't think it's a good idea…"

"Hey I understand. You don't want me to officially meet him until we know what this is."

"Correct. I don't want to put someone in his life and let him get attached if this doesn't work out because it will hurt him."

"Regina its ok I understand completely. I don't want to cause you or him any pain. When you think the time is right I'll be ecstatic to meet him but only when you think its right. Like I said earlier we will go at your pace. No faster or slower than what you want us to."

"Here you are worried about me and my feelings and comfort level and you are the one that just came out of serious relationship. If anything we should be going at your pace." He grabbed her hand and wondered why he hadn't thought that way.

"Look yes I was in a serious relationship and maybe I'm crazy for jumping into whatever this is with you so quickly but the truth is I feel some type of connection with you and none of what happened in the past matters to me anymore. I came here to start fresh and that's exactly what I intend to do."

"I can't wait."

He leaned over gave her one last kiss and unfolded himself and stretched. He finally waved goodbye and walked into the apartment building. By the time he made it up the flight of stairs to his sister's the door was wide open and standing there was none other than Mary Margaret herself. He wasn't surprised he knew she would be there as soon as she was sure Regina had pulled away.

"Was that Regina?" she questioned as she moved aside to let her brother in.

"You are very observant. Yes." He wasn't going to freely give the details of his night. If she wanted to know she was going to have to ask and ask she did.

"Were you kissing her? Emery I thought you said that you weren't going to get involved. That woman has been through way too much." He could tell if he didn't stop her she was going to wind herself tighter than a yo-yo.

"M&M slow down will ya? Look yes I was kissing her, yes she has been hurt, so have I which is why we are both taking things slow and seeing where this goes. Something happened tonight and we both just clicked and we have both decided like two consenting mature adults that we want to see where this goes and see if there is anything between us." He explained as he cut her off.

"I just don't want either of you to get hurt. You're my kid brother and up until Daniel came along Regina was my friend." That was information that was new to Emery. He didn't know that his sister was close to Regina.

"What do you mean?" he questioned as he made his way to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

"When I first moved to this town I didn't know anybody and Regina had just been elected mayor and so she was the one woman welcome wagon. We hit it off and became fast friends. She was dating Daniel at the time and was smitten with him. The few times I had met him he seemed nice but there was something odd about him and the way he wanted to posses her. Like she was a trophy and not a person."

"Yea she told me was intoxicated by the power her last name gave off." Emery mentioned and then motioned for his sister to continue.

"Well there wasn't a doubt that he did love her at least in his own way but not the way she deserved to be loved. Anyway one day when I was going to meet Ruby for lunch I got there early and saw Daniel leaving the inn with Ruby not far behind. They both looked like guilty school children well it didn't take a rocket scientist to know what they were up to. The thing is when I went to tell Regina it was like she wasn't really surprised just embarrassed and because it was me that brought the news it put a rift between us. One that only got bigger and now it's at the point that I don't think either one of us would know how to apologize even if we had the chance."

She finished the story and stared off into the distance with such intensity Emery thought she was trying to repair this broken friendship in her mind and if she willed it hard enough maybe she could.

"I know you care for her Mary and I need you to know that I'm going to do everything in my power to treat her the way she deserves and to mend whatever he broke. I'm not saying it's going to be a walk in the park I can be a difficult S.O.B but I want you to know that I care enough to try."

"Just take care of her. She's been through too much and she's been through it alone. She may try to push you away."

"Then I'll hold on tight." In that moment he was sure that he had never spoken truer words.

When Regina got home she sat in her driveway a few moments and replayed her evening. She kissed him. He had kissed her first, granted, but she kissed him back harder. She had kissed him like he was the only source of oxygen and she had been deprived of it for so long. What was she doing? She hardly knew the man. Of course he had opened up to her and told her about his dad and how hard things had gotten and she had told him about the Daniel fiasco. Regina couldn't deny that there was something about this man that made her feel wanted and safe. Dare she even say beautiful? He didn't make her feel that he was there for power or prestige, hell she was sure he didn't even know who her family was. For that she was grateful.

She finally pulled herself out of her revelry and went inside. She had forgotten that their conversation had interrupted dinner and that they hadn't gotten to the apple pie. Would she seem over eager if she took it to him now? Would he be awake? Then she thought about his sister. She and Mary Margaret had become fast friends when the school teacher moved to town a few years ago, and she would be lying if she said that she didn't miss the companionship of the other woman. Did she really want to deal with her tonight? The bubble that Emery created for her was snuggly and comfortable, would it burst if she went to see him now? Screw it she thought. She was an adult and if she wanted to do something who or what was going to stop her.

She cleaned up the table, put the lasagna away in the refrigerator, put the pie in container, and grabbed her purse. She was going to take the pie to him, come face to face with his sister and continue to be comfortable and snug in the Emery Swan bubble.

"Hey so where is lover boy?" Emery asked as he came out of the bathroom having changed into his sleep attire, which for him consisted of a wife beater and a pair of well worn BPD sweats.

"He went to relieve the night manager at the shelter he should be back in about an hour or so." She finished her sentence to a knock on the door.

"Are you expecting anyone?" Emery said as he made his way toward the loft door.

"No. David has a key." She said from behind the kitchen counter where she had been preparing cupcakes for the schools bake sale.

"Regina?" he exclaimed as he looked through the peep hole and opened the door.

"Hey." She stated completely taken aback by the appearance of the man before her. There he was in all his Greek God glory with his hair pulled back into a loose ponytail and a twinkle in his eyes.

"Hey is everything ok?" he asked concerned.

"Oh yes dear everything's fine. It's just when I got home from dropping you off I realized with all of the events tonight you didn't get to have any dessert. So I thought what the hell and brought it over." She said as he moved aside and welcomed her into the loft.

"Hello Regina." Mary Margaret said as she came around the counter to take the pie from her.

"Hello. Sorry to barge in like this I just wanted to drop this I'll be going." She really was stupid. He was going to think she was a stalker.

"No please," he pleaded, "please stay and have some with us." Emery wanted her to stay.

"Oh yes Regina stay. We were just going to watch a movie after I got done with these cupcakes why don't you help Emery pick out a movie and we can slice into this amazing pie.

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose," She really didn't want to overstay her welcome, "plus I'm not dressed for the occasion." She wasn't really dressed to lounge around in her skin tight jeans and sweater.

"Don't worry about that. I think I have something that will fit you." Mary Margaret said as she went to the bedroom to find something for Regina to wear.

"Are you sure?" she questioned Emery. His sister's intentions were good but she didn't want to push her welcome with this man.

"I'm positive. But only if you pick something other than Disney movies." He chuckled as he pulled her to him and laid a kiss on the top of her head.

"I have had my fair fill of Disney movies I have a three year old remember? What's your stand on musicals?" she asked as she sought out Mary's DVD collection.

"Anything but Rent, it's not that I have anything against it but my sister watched the crap out of it when she was in high school." He answered as he followed her to the rack of movies.

"Let's see we have: Les Mis, West Side Story, Moulin Rouge, and the Producers in the way of musicals. Plus a slew of action adventure which I assume are David's and of course Disney."

"I vote Les Mis." Said Mary Margaret as she came back into the room carrying a pair of yoga pants.

"Les Mis it is." Said Emery.

"Regina why don't you go change and Emery can get the movie and popcorn ready."

"Our Mary Margaret acting cruise director." He said as he went to the kitchen to get the popcorn.

When the two minutes passed for the popcorn to ready Regina walked out of the bathroom and Emery swore he was going to pass out. She was wearing the yoga pants that his sister had lent her and had taken off her sweater and all that was left was a deep red tank top that hugged her in all the right places.

"Careful Detective you'll catch flies if you leave your mouth open much longer." Regina shot as she walked over and snatched some popcorn out of the bowl leaned up on her tip toes and kissed him. It was that moment that Mary Margaret had decided to clear her throat.

"Mary Margaret," Regina started, she knew that she needed to say this if tonight or any night after were to be completely comfortable, "I'm sorry."

"Oh Regina you have nothing to be sorry about I shouldn't have said anything. I shouldn't have let you push me away." She returned as she walked into the kitchen to hug her long lost friend.

"Well now that we got that out of the way," Regina laughed as she wiped away a few stray tears and Mary Margaret did the same, "Let's watch a movie." She grabbed Emery's hand and they both walked over to the couch.

"Women!" Emery huffed as he followed Regina to the couch.

Mary Margaret curled up into an overstuffed chair opting to give Regina and Emery use of the couch. Regina sat down and waited for Emery as he put the movie in the DVD player then returned to the couch. He sprawled out held up his arm and Regina snuggled into him, head on his chest.

This was the position that David found them in an hour later when he returned home. He wasn't surprised when he notice that Mary Margaret was awake with tears in her eyes as she watched the turmoil of Jean Val Jean, he was surprised however, to find Emery curled up and asleep with Regina Mills. He walked further into the living room and finally got Mary's attention.

"I see we have an extra house guest tonight. When did this happen?"

"Apparently they had an enlightening dinner. She dropped him off then came back with apple pie." She gestured to the table between them that held half an eaten pie, an empty bowl that had held popcorn, and their various drinks.

"So Emery and Regina? Huh. That could turn out very interesting." David mused.

"I just hope they know what they are getting into." Mary Margaret said as she turned off the DVD and went to find a blanket.

"You're not going to wake them?"

"No. Whatever happens with them let them have tonight. Plus they are just too cute to wake." She smiled, placed a cover over the both of them and snapped a picture on her phone.

"You shouldn't worry babe. You never know this could be what they've both been looking for." David took her by the hand and led her to their bedroom. He would see where all of this would lead tomorrow but for tonight he was happy that both of these seemingly lost people had found each other.


	9. Chapter 9

It had been a few days since Emery had woken up on his sister's couch with Regina in his arms and to his delight things couldn't be any better. He was starting to learn the lay of the land in Storybrooke and was actually starting to make friends. Currently he was at the diner picking up lunch to take to Regina's office and he couldn't be more content with his life after what a disastrous ending in Boston. It was that thought that startled him. He had only been here for a few days and already he was happier than he was in Boston. He had talked to Regina the morning they woke up together about where this was going and reiterated that they could and would go as slow or as fast as she wanted. Granted he was starting to go stark raving mad with nothing to do other than watch TV at the apartment, maybe he would ask Regina if she knew of anything that needed doing. He was brought out of his revelry when Ruby came up to the counter with his order.

"One grilled chicken club hold the tomato and one Cobb salad extra egg. I didn't know that your sister loved eggs so much." Ruby stated off-handedly. He knew she was fishing.

"It's not for Mary Margaret. I'm having lunch with Regina." He stifled a grin when he noticed Ruby's eyes trying to bug out of her head. He told her good afternoon grabbed the lunches and headed for the door.

"Wait! Emery, wait." She grabbed his arm before he could reach it however.

"What's up Ruby?" he questioned impatiently. He really didn't want to be a part of this conversation, wherever it was headed.

"I was just wondering what you were doing Friday night? I get off around eight and then was going to the Rabbit Hole and wanted to know if you wanted to go." She implored as she looked up at him through her eyelashes while biting her lip.

"I think I have plans already." He didn't actually know if he had plans but he did know that he didn't want to have plans with Ruby.

"Well let me know." She cooed as she went up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek leaving a stain of red lips.

"Uh yea I'll keep you posted." He said as he turned and finally was able to leave the diner. It was that moment that he ran into David.

"Hey man. Lunch with Regina?" questioned David as he made his way past Emery to the door.

"Yea." Emery answered as he held up the bag of lunches.

"You might want to wipe of Ruby's signature color off your cheek." He pointed out.

"Oh thanks man. That would have been bad." He wiped off the stain.

"So you and Regina?"

"Me and Regina."

"Congratulations." David clapped him on the shoulder and made his way into the diner as Emery turned to head to city hall.

Regina couldn't hide the smile on her face. Ever since Sunday morning when she woke up in Emery's arms she had a permanent smile on her face. He reassured her, when they woke up, that this whatever it was would go at her pace. She had her say however, and wanted him to know that she wanted to take his emotions and feelings about everything into consideration as well. She didn't want him to be taken for granted. She was working through paperwork with a grin when Shelly, her secretary, buzzed her to let her know her lunch date was in the waiting room.

"Send him in Shelly and please hold my calls." She started to straighten her desk when the door opened and in walked the man responsible for her smile.

Emery was wearing a pair of black slacks that fit in all the right places and a burgundy V-neck sweater topped with a black leather jacket. She still couldn't get over how handsome this man was. She sent up a little prayer of thanks to whoever was up there that put this man in her way. She got up from behind her desk and went over to the conference table with him.

"You look beautiful." He said and she knew from the conviction in his voice that the tight emerald green dress and black knee high boots that she had decided to wear that day were a good idea. Especially when she heard his breathe catch in his throat.

"Thank you. You clean up well." She took the food out of his hand and thanks to not needing to stand on her tiptoes thanks to her heels gave him a kiss.

"How's your day going?" he asked her as he started to set up lunch.

"Boring. Paperwork and complaints. The same." She stated as she sat down and took the lid off of her salad.

"Complaints? I haven't seen anything in this town to complain about. Other than that there is only one decent place to grab lunch. The staff there is a little too friendly." He didn't want to tell her about Ruby since there wasn't much to tell but at the same time he felt like keeping even that little piece a secret would be bad for them. Especially where Ruby and Regina were concerned.

"Too friendly? Ahh Ruby. The complaints are nothing serious, mostly a neighbor wanting to cut down a tree that isn't on their property to cut. So Ruby huh?" she tried to not let it bother her but she wasn't that naive. She knew Ruby.

"Yeah she's very forward and she's trying too hard to catch my eye. The thing is that someone else has already done that." He told her as he grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles. He could swear that she was beaming.

"Regina," he started, "I know…"

"I don't trust her. But I'm trying my damndest to trust you." She cut him off and he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was trying to trust him.

"Hey I'm not going to do anything to screw this up." He looked her in the eyes so that she could see that he was serious.

"Well to quote you, enough with the heavy. What do you have planned for the rest of the day?" she questioned as she started in on her salad.

"Well there isn't much to do." He said around a bite of his chicken sandwich.

"I feel like I've done everything that I can do. I swear if I have to do the laundry again I'll shoot someone." He chuckled.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Would you like me to send out feelers for any type of job?" she asked wheels already turning in her head.

"Do you mind? I don't want to take advantage."

"I don't mind at all. I want you to be happy. Give me a few days and I'll see what I can come up with." She told him as she finished her lunch.

"How about you tell me Friday night over dinner?"

"That would be lovely. Let me just let my parents know so they can keep Henry."

"Not a problem how is he anyway?" he was curious about this little boy that was his mother's world.

"He's great growing like a weed. I swear he has grown at least 3 inches in the past two weeks. Plus he is so smart. Emery, Monday when I picked him up from daycare his teacher said that he could count all the way up to 100." She beamed when she talked about her son and Emery soaked it up.

"That's awesome! Not many three year olds can do that. You should be proud." He flashed his smile at her and she could feel her heart skip.

They talked for a little longer about Henry, Boston, and more. Before either of them knew it they had migrated to the couch in Regina's office and curled into each other and talked more about everything and nothing. It wasn't until Shelly knocked bringing them back to reality and reminded Regina she had a meeting with the School Janitor's Union in 20 minutes that they realized that they had turned a thirty minute lunch break into almost two hours.

"Well I better let you get back to running a town Madam Mayor." He quipped as he bent to kiss her.

"If you must Detective. I'll call you when I'm done?"

She questioned hopefully.

"I'll be waiting." He smiled as she returned his kiss and showed him to the door. Her permanent smile returning as did his.


	10. Chapter 10

Regina was sitting in the Janitor's Union meeting 45 minutes later and she was having the hardest time trying to concentrate. Emery had asked her to help him find something to do, she thinks now in hindsight if she should have asked him if he wanted permanent. This though brought up more questions for her. Was he staying? Did he want to be with her for more than a visit? Was she something that he was doing to pass the time?

She knew this feeling of self-doubt and she didn't like it. She had promised herself after Daniel that no one would make her feel this way again. She was going to have to end this, whatever it was. She needed to protect herself. Her buzzing phone brought her back to the meeting. She looked at her phone and noticed a text from Emery.

**So I'm awesome**. The text read.

Despite her previous musings she smiled at her phone and texted him back.

_OH. Is that so? _

**Yep. I just got a job ****J**

_Really? Where? _Maybe she didn't have to worry.

**Really. At the Sheriffs Station. This guy named Graham who is…never mind you know who he is. Heard I was a detective in Boston but looking for work here.**

_That is awesome. I wonder who told him?_

**Probably my sister if I had to take a guess.**

_We should celebrate!_

All of her feelings of self-doubt vanished and she was beaming. She was completely lost in her own world the Union meeting forgotten.

**Dinner? I can pick you up after work?**

_I have to pick Henry up from the daycare._

**I understand another night then. Hey we're still on for Friday night. Don't you have a meeting to get back to? LOL Text me or call me later.**

She set there for a few minutes after reading his text. She could hear the disappointment in his text. She even imagined him pouting as he wrote out the text. Did she want to introduce Henry to Emery right now this early into whatever it was that they were doing?

He got a job and from what he told her it was a permanent one so maybe he was in this for the long haul. She knew it would be good for Henry to have another male figure in his life. The real question in all of this was simple was she ready for them to meet? If they met then that meant that this was real. She wanted to be ready, and she wanted to have happiness.

_Pick us up around six?_

**Really? Yea I'll be there. **

Emery couldn't wipe the smile from his face when he waltzed into his sister's apartment. Mary Margaret wasn't home from school yet so he decided to go ahead take a shower and get ready. He headed upstairs to the makeshift bedroom that he and David had set up Sunday after Regina left. What was he going to wear? Where the hell were they going to go? He made a memo to ask his sister where to take a three year old when you want to make a good impression.

It wasn't until he was in the shower that the weight of everything hit him. He was meeting Henry. Regina was letting him meet her son.

"Holy Shit." Emery sighed.

This meant that she wanted more from him. He took a minute to think if he was ready for that. A minute was all it took. He wanted to be official with Regina. He was upstairs when he heard his sister come home.

"Emery?" she yelled as she closed the loft's door.

"Yea I'm up here be down in a moment."

"OK. How was your day?" she asked as she walked over to the record player that she got fro her mom and turned on some Miles Davis.

"Great. Guess what?" Emery said as he came down the stairs clean-shaven with still wet hair.

"What?" she inquired.

"Well I got a job at the Sheriffs station. Which thank you by the way. I know you had a hand in that…"

"You just looked so pathetic moping around here when you weren't thinking about Regina." she quipped.

"Hey, anyways, I'm going out with Regina to celebrate and Henry." He let the last part hang in the air.

"Henry? Wow this is serious. Where are you going for dinner?"

"I was hoping you had an idea as to where to go that's kid appropriate." He said sheepishly.

"None other than Granny's. I don't know if you want to travel to the next town." She was impressed that her brother had put a lot of thought into tonight.

"I was really wanting to stay close. I don't know if he has an early bedtime or my way around. Thanks though." He looked down at his watch and figured he had a little bit of time to kill before he had to pick up Regina and Henry.

"Flowers." Mary Margaret prodded.

"Flowers? Oh right I should stop and get flowers. I guess I should go then." He looked down at his watch again and noted that it was around 5 he had time to go get flowers and get to Regina's house by six.

He gave his sister a kiss on the cheek and grabbed his keys and jacket and headed out. He got to the flower shop, uniquely named Game of Thorns about ten minutes before they closed.

"How can I help you?" asked a brunette Aussie from behind the counter.

"Going on a date and I need some very special flowers."

"Well tell me a little bit about the woman and let's see if we can find something to match her."

"Ok well let's see. She's beautiful. Not overtly so just classic and she has these deep chocolate eyes that you could get lost in. She fiery and passionate, but she has a professional side and she can be very hard according to some but I haven't seen it yet."

"If I didn't know any better I would say that the woman you are describing is Mayor Mills." The brunette, whose nametag read Belle, chuckled.

"That's exactly who it is." Emery smiled.

"Well then it can't be ordinary roses because she's not an ordinary woman. So how about a bouquet of stargazer lilies." She said as she handed Emery a bouquet beautiful pink, white, and purple lilies.

"They're gorgeous. Just like her. How much do I owe you?"

"They are on the house." She said as she waved him off.

"No I need to pay you for these amazing flowers."

"Look Regina won't admit it because she thinks it makes her vulnerable but she's my friend and all I want since that idiot left is for her to be happy and if you are the cause of that happiness then go you. If you hurt her I have a pile of compost in the back that I can hide you in."

"It's admirable that you want to stand up for your friend and I can honestly say that I'm going to do everything in my power to make her happy and not hurt her."

"Thank you." She said as she followed him to the door and waved goodbye to him.

Regina finished her day in a haze. She picked Henry up and told him that they were going to go out with a friend of hers. He seemed excited but he was three and the prospect of anything new was always exciting for her son. She looked at the clock on the mantel and noticed that it was 5:30.

"Henry are you ready? Mr. Swan will be here in a little bit and I want to make sure your hands are clean and your teeth are brushed." She yelled walking in to the playroom.

"Teeth brushed mom. I cleaning the room." He told her matter of factly and to her surprise he was vigorously cleaning his playroom.

"Do you want help?" Regina knew her son was independent and the chances are that he didn't want her help.

"Nope."

"Henry…"

"No ma'am." He corrected himself.

She went downstairs right as there was a knock on the door. She checked herself again in the mirror for the thousandth time and opened the door. Standing there was Adonis himself. Emery was wearing grey slacks and midnight blue dress shirt and a shiny black tie with his hair down. In his hands he was holding a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen.

"Good evening," He stammered out, "you look gorgeous." And she did. Regina was wearing a knee length burgundy dress with knee high high-heeled black boots.

"Thank you. You look handsome." She said as she took the flowers from him and motioned for him to come in out of the cold.

"Let me go put these in some water and get Henry." She said as she went toward the kitchen.

"Henry come on down Mr. Swan is here." Just then the very energetic three-year-old came hurtling down the stairs.

"Hello Henry." Emery said as he crouched down to the toddlers level.

"Hi Swan." He said as he thrust out his hand. Emery took the three year olds hand and shook it.

"Are we ready to go boys." Regina questioned as she came back into the room.

"Ready when you are my lady." Emery said as he stood.

"Aren't you a knight in shining armor?" she flirted back.

"Come on my little prince." She said as she held out her hand to Henry.


	11. Chapter 11

"So going to be completely honest," Emery started," the only place to eat that I know of is Granny's." he said as he helped Regina get Henry car seat from her car and placed into his Mustang.

"That's fine by me if you don't mind." She said as she handed him the seat.

"I just didn't want to take you guys out of town if he had a bed time." Emery motioned to Henry who was patiently standing by Emery's car.

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I feel bad that you got all dressed up to just go to Granny's. Come on Henry." She motioned for him to get in his car seat.

"Ok mommy. Can Swan buckle me in?" Henry asked sheepishly.

"Of course he can." She stepped aside and let Emery buckle her son into his car seat and she could have sworn her heart stopped at the sight.

"Hey don't worry about me you got all dressed up as well. Are you sure Granny's is fine? I want to make a good impression on the both of you." He grinned and in that moment he didn't look like the Adonis that was on her doorstep but like a little boy who desperately wanted something and someone to cling to.

"Hey," she said as she stepped into his personal space so that the only thing he could do was wrap her in his arms, "I'm with you and Henry. I don't care where we go and as far as impressions I think you won him over and you don't have to worry about me. You already won me over." She kissed him on the cheek and let him open her door.

"Eww mommy kissed Swan." Came a tiny voice from the back seat.

"Hush." She said playfully.

"So to Granny's we go." Said Emery as he got into the car.

"Music!" came the excited voice from the back.

"Say please young man." Chided Regina.

"Please." Henry said quieter than before.

"Sure little man I think I have something you just might like." Emery exclaimed as he put a cd into the player. A few second later came the soft vocals of Etta James.

"I love this song." Said Regina as she reached over turned it up and started singing much to Emery's and Henry's delight and Regina's surprise.

"I was never spellbound by a starry sky. What is there to moon glow, when love has passed you by. Then there came a midnight and the world was new. Now here am I so spellbound, darling. Not by stars, but just by you. At last my love has come along." It was at this point that Emery decided that he should join in.

"My lonely days are over and life is like a song. At last the skies above are blue. My heart was wrapped up in clovers the night I looked at you." They looked at each other for a moment completely lost in the moment and were only brought out of their revelry by the clapping and excitement from Henry.

"Sing more sing more." He pleaded.

"Hey buddy why don't you tell Emery what you did at daycare today." Regina interjected. Whatever moment they had just had was not lost on her.

"We did finger paint." He exclaimed excitedly.

"Yea? Did you paint any pictures?" questioned Emery and he actually seemed intrigued.

"I painted mommy a picture and I painted a picture for Nan and Poppa. Tomorrow I paint a picture for Swan." He exclaimed.

"It seems you have a fan." She said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Thank God. I was worried not going to lie." Emery chuckled as he pulled into a parking spot by the diner.

"Unbuckle! Unbuckle!" screamed the three year old.

"Hold your horses buddy we have to be gentlemen ok. That means I have to help your mom out before you. OK?" Emery explained and knew that he hit home when Henry nodded vigorously and quieted down. Emery got out walked around the car and opened the door for Regina.

"My turn?" asked Henry when Emery stuck his head back in the car.

"Your turn." Emery answered as he unbuckled his car seat and helped Henry out of the back seat.

Regina waited for Emery to lock the car up and then grabbed his hand. Henry was having none of it. He wanted in the middle. When they got to the door Henry once again asserted his independence and went for the door.

"I be a gentleman Swan." He said as he struggled with the door.

"Yes you are." Emery said as he helped him open the door to let Regina through.

"My knights." She mused as Emery grabbed her hand once they made it into the diner.

"I'm a prince mommy, Swan a knight." Henry corrected as he took his jacket off and ran to a booth in the back of the diner.

They followed him to the booth and there was a slight confusion as to where to sit. Yet again, Henry voiced his opinion and his word was law.

"Swan sit next to me. Ok mommy?" Henry asked her. Even though he was independent he still didn't want to hurt his mother's feelings.

"That's fine baby." She said as she took off her jacket and sat down in the booth. Emery handed her his jacket as well and she placed them both in the seat next to her. It was then that they both noticed the quiet that fell across the diner.

"Ever feel like you're being watched?" Emery questioned across the table. He helped Henry get settled with a kid's menu and crayons.

"Always." Answered Regina as she opened her menu.

"Hey. Relax and enjoy your knight and prince are here to protect you. Right Henry?" Emery questioned the toddler who was in deep concentration over his coloring.

"Protect mommy." He answered.

"I feel safe." Regina quipped as Ruby made her way over to the table.

"Oh fun." Regina said under her breath.

"What can I get for you?" Ruby asked curtly.

"I'll have a Diet Coke." Emery said.

"Milk." Henry piped up still intensely coloring.

"I'll have a sweet tea. Thank you." Regina said sweetly and Ruby stalked away.

"I feel like the side of my face is melting off." Regina said a few minutes later when they were still looking at their menus.

"Well I can fix that. Henry I have to go be a gentleman for your mommy." Emery said much to Regina's confusion.

"Okay. Protect mommy knight Swan." Henry said without even looking up.

Emery got up from his seat and went around to Regina's side and sat next to her.

"See no more face melting. I'll take the brunt of the stares." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

She closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss. She knew she was lucky.

"Mommy is Swan your boyfriend?" Henry asked finally looking up from his coloring. The silence that followed was slightly tense. Right up to the point that Emery answered his question.

"Would that be ok with you Henry? If I was her boyfriend." Emery questioned genuinely concerned with the little boy's answer.

"Yes. She needs a knight." Came the innocent reply that he was hoping for.

"Well the prince has spoken." Regina said as she turned to face the man next to her.

"That he has and we don't want to go against the prince's wishes." He stated and then in front of everyone who was subtly and not so subtly staring at them, he kissed her full on the mouth.


	12. Chapter 12

This action, while not bothering anyone at the table or in the diner, did bother the waitress. Ruby didn't like Regina and once again here Regina was getting what Ruby wanted.

"See kisses and no face melting." Said Emery.

"You truly are my knight." Mused Regina. It was then that Granny herself came over with their drinks ready to take their order.

"What can I get you guys tonight?" Granny asked.

"Grilled Cheese please!" came Henry's reply.

"I'll have the grilled chicken salad with ranch dressing." Said Regina as she handed over her menu.

"I guess I'll have the black and blue steak sandwich with a side of rice. Thanks."

"OK guys I'll have the food out for you in a jiffy. Oh and Regina?" Granny implored.

"Yes?"

"Congratulations. He's a cutie." She winked as she turned and walked toward the kitchen.

They both chuckled and Regina kissed Emery's cheek.

"Well what can I say, she is honest." Laughed Regina.

The rest of the dinner went off without a hitch. Henry ate all of his grilled cheese even the crust, which Emery was informed was a first. They had not a moment of awkward silence and much to Emery's delight every time he caught a glance over at Regina she never stopped smiling.

Regina could honestly say that she had never had a better night. Henry was enthralled with Emery and the same could be said for the older man. Emery divided his time between listening to Henry talk about anything that came to mind and fawning over her. She couldn't remember the last time Henry had opened up to anyone other than her and her parents and for this she would be thankful to Emery more than he would know.

"Ready for the check?" Granny asked interrupting both of their thoughts.

"Yea." Emery said as he pulled out his wallet to pay.

"Thank you for a lovely dinner." Regina said.

"Next time I'll take you somewhere worthy of that dress." He stated as they got up to leave.

"Friday my dear." Regina winked.

"Friday." He stated firmly.

"Henry is going to stay with my parents. So it's just me and you." She winked at him. He felt his heart stop then quickened.

"I can't wait." Emery told her as he helped Henry put on his jacket then took his hand.

"Ready to go my prince?" asked Regina.

"Ready mommy. Swan will you have ice cream with me?" Emery looked to Regina for assistance, he waited to answer till he got the head nod.

"Only if it's ok with your mom."

"Mommy?"

"It's ok baby." She told Henry.

"Then yes my young gentleman I would love to have ice cream with you and your mommy." Emery smiled down at him.

"Yay ice cream ice cream!" the toddler yelled as he ran to the door.

"Wait up buddy. You have to show me where the ice cream shop is." Emery stated and that made Henry puff up with pride at being able to help.

"Come on Swan I show you." Henry said as he grabbed Emery's hand. Emery let himself be pulled along out the door and down the street. Regina followed with a smile plastered to her face.

Thirty minutes later they were back in Emery's car. Henry, even though he had just finished some strawberry ice cream, Regina informed Emery that Henry was allergic to chocolate, was passed out in his car seat in the back.

"He wore himself out." Regina stated as they pulled into her drive way.

"He's a great kid. You have done an awesome job." Emery told her as they got out of the car.

"Thank you that means a lot to me. Do you mind getting him out? I don't want to wake him but I don't think I could maneuver him asleep and dead weight out of this car." She asked and smiled when he beamed like a kid at Christmas.

"I would be honored." He said as he walked around the car and maneuvered the sleeping three year old out of the car while Regina got the car seat.

He followed her to the front door and carefully made his way up the stairs to the toddler's room. Henry's room was decorated like a scene from medieval times complete with a castle painted on the wall and a miniature suite of armor in the corner.

"Wow." Was all Emery could think to say.

"Too much?" Regina questioned.

"Not at all I would have loved a room like this when I was a kid. Did you paint this?"

"Yes me and my father painted it for Henry's third birthday."

"It's amazing." Whispered Emery as he put Henry in bed. Regina proceeded to take off her son's shoes and jeans. Then she left with the door cracked and Emery followed her.

"Thank you for an amazing night. I had am amazing time and so did Henry as you can tell." She mused.

"Hey it was my pleasure. I had a great time and Henry is a great kid. Thank you for letting me meet him." Emery said with a conviction that helped confirm that she made the right choice in introducing the two.

"Well I guess I need to head out. You have to work and tomorrow is my first day as an officer of Storybrooke." He said as he walked to the door.

"Do you think that we could do lunch or will you be too busy?" she implored hoping to spend much more time with him.

"Don't worry if you want lunch I'll make time." He grinned at her and his eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief.

"Great I can't wait." She said.

"Me neither." He agreed as he leaned down and met her soft red lips.

"I could get used to that." She sighed out as he pulled away.

"Me too." He said as he kissed her again then forced himself to walk out the door and to his car.

"Good night Detective." Regina said as she waved.

"Good night Madam Mayor. I won't leave till I know you're safe and locked up. So go inside and lock the door then flash the porch light. Please." His police instincts kicking in.

"Always the protector." She chuckled.

"I am your knight. Now go." She did and did as he said. He turned over the engine and pulled out the driveway with a thousand watt smile plastered on his face.


	13. Author's Note 2

Author's Note

Hey guys sorry about the delay in posting the chapters when I started this story it was something that had to come out and it did. Don't worry I'm still writing but I started a new job and with Christmas coming up I have just been preoccupied. I promise though after the New Year the posts will become more regular. Please stick around I promise you won't be disappointed.


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